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Restaurants
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Heard
on the Street
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Transitions
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Vote on Smoking in Round Rock Restaurants tabled until October 10th
Word from Round Rock is that the City Council's
vote on the smoking ordinance has been postponed till the next council
meeting on October 10th. This from Main Street Grill owner Jim MCKinney.
Apparently, the bill that would have been voted on was either/or:
Either you allowed smoking in the entire restaurant or no smoking
at all. Cooler heads may prevail as the council studies the Austin
model which allows designated smoking areas in certain restaurants.Apparently,
the restaurant community should up en masse at the council meeting
last night, taking the politicians by surprise with their fervent
rejoinders. We'll keep you posted.
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Gonzo Gourmet Club heads to fusion-styled Bistro 88 on Sunday night
The Gonzo Gourmet Club is heading to Bistro
88 Sunday night, Sept. 29, and 6:30 PM. We're going to enjoy a five-course
meal with wine flights included. Master chef Jeff Liu is going to
roll out some of his most spectacular cuisine for the group. Cost
is $49.95 per person. There's still time to RSVP. Emails must be
sent in no later than Saturday 1 PM, to info@diningoutwithrobbalon.com
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Sushi and Teppanyaki cafe Mimosa opens on Barton Springs Road
Dinh Tran, well known Asian restaurant owner
in the River City (Wan Fu), is back from Indiannapolis with a new
venture, Mimosa on Barton Springs Road in the site of the old Good
Eats building. Open for just a couple of weeks, the restaurant features
sushi and a variety of delights from the Japanese grill. I tried
the grilled scallops in a light sauce of butter, soy, and teriyaki
sauce. Excellent flavor. Obvious quality.
Also tried the Austin Roll which featured salmon, shrimpo and Alaskan
King Crab. Again, very tasty. The grilling is done in the kitchen,
not at chef stations. Dinh says that after a while, the slicing
and dicing shows get boring anyway, and he prefers that his chefs
concentrate 100% on quality.
I kind of like the set up where you and 10 new friends are entertained
by the chef as he cooks. But I can also see Dinh's point.
I think this one's going to be good.
Look for a complete review in the next month or so.
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Rob Balon Interviews The Food Network's "Best Of" Host
Marc Silverstein
The Food Network blew into town last week to
tape segments for their popular "Best Of" series. While
they were taping at Hoover's Cooking on Manor Road, I had a chance
to sit down with host Marc Silverstein and shoot the breeze.
Silverstein's a bright, amiable guy who completely lacks the pretense
one would normally expect from the host of a national food show.
And that's what makes this show work: Neither chef nor food critic,
Marc's background is in on-air reporting for a variety of TV stations,
most recently as a consumer reporter for a TV station in Baltimore.
He knows how to sniff out a story, and to connect the emotional
dots and angles that may seem disparate to the uninitiated.
In his Best Of series, he comes in to a town
looking for a good story. In the case of Hoover's Cooking, the emphasis
was on down home "joints" and blue plate specials.Of course
the food is key, but so are the personalities behind the food and
the unique characteristics or histories of the various establishments.
"I don't want to stand there and prattle on about the quality
of the foie gras for four minutes", he said. "I'm interested
in the human interest angles and the stories and passions of the
guys in the kitchen."
And because of Marc Silverstein, the show works.
He began his career in, of all places, Corpus Christi and like so
many on-air talent in the TV business, hopped around the US from
market to market. After his consumer reporting gig in Baltimore
came to an end, his agent heard about a call for a host at the Food
Network. They liked him, he liked them, and it's been all strawberries
and cream for three years (an eternity in the TV biz).
Marc has an eye for what makes a compelling
feature. For example, while filming at Hoover's, he coaxed Hoover
Alexander's mother to make an impromptu, on-camera pitch for the
restaurant. In a clever play on words, he set it up as "and
now, some word of mom…".
I was there for most of the taping at Hoover's and the atmosphere
was relaxed and cordial, a far cry from what I've encountered on
other TV production shoots. Again, the personality of the host set
the tone.
The footage shot at Hoover's will air sometime
in the next four-five months when the Best Of tackles blue plate
specials. Marc and his crew also shot at the Driskill Grill, Dorsett's
221 Truck Stop, and several other locations around the River City.
Stay tuned to www.diningoutwithrobbalon.com
for the air dates.
And if you enjoy the Food Network, keep an eye out for the engaging
Marc Silverstein's work on Best Of.
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General Manager John Laney Suddenly Out at Hard Rock on 6th St.
General Manager John Laney is missing in
action at Hard Rock Cafe on 6th St. Laney, a huge supporter of the
Hard Rock concept and a veteran restaurant and bar exec, left no
forwarding number. The GM of the San Antonio store is apparently
calling the shots for the time being. Rumor has it that a freeze
on advertising has been instituted. That's usually a bad sign for
a glizty store like the Hard Rock which derives a lot of revenue
from its "cool" image.
The Hard Rock opened on 6th St. about six months ago.
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Ciola's Plans First Wine Dinner for September 26th
Ciola's, one of our favorite Italian restaurants
is having its Inaugural Wine
Dinner On September 26h. These dinners are designed to celebrate
the wines of northern Italy as they are paired with Ciola's inspired
cuisine. For more information, call 263-9936.
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Wine
of the Month
Grapevine
Market Wine of Summer:
01 Lingenfelder ‘Bird
Label’ Riesling
We know that when you hear the word “Riesling” you think sweet.
Wrong, wrong, wrong. While it can be sweet it can also be totally
dry. Such is the case with Lingenfelder’s ‘Bird Label’ Riesling.
Lingenfelder is a small family property in Germany’s Pfalz region.
Winemaker Ranier Lingenfelder shows his confident, perfectionist
side in this fresh, dry, mineral driven wine. The light-bodied,
aromatic mix of peach, ripe apple and honeyed citrus is kept simple.
It reflects a winemaking philosophy of employing as little manipulation
as possible so as to retain all the grape’s natural character and
complexity. This is an absolute jewel that seems as though it were
grown just for summer in Texas. $11.99
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Coyote Grill Closes its Doors. To Reopen in Several Weeks?
The saga of Coyote Grill, at 4th and Lavaca
in the Warehouse District, site of the former Northern Italian restaurant,
Girasole, came to a dissapointing end over the Labor Day weekend.
The restaurant, open only a few scant months into its rebirth as
southwest styled Coyote Grill, went down for the count. The two
managers closed it down on Saturday nght.
Just a few weeks ago, on this site, proprieter Al Zare flatly refuted
the rumors circulating regarding the potential closing.
Now, the current word is that a couple from Dallas have bought the
restaurant and will reopen staying fairly close to the original
Coyote Grill style.
I hope for all involved, and for the dining public, that the restaurant
does reopen. As much as I missed Girasole, Coyote Grill was off
to a strong start food-wise.
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El Dorado supports UT Football
Tailgate party every Friday at the El Dorado
with live remote from 6-8PM featuring Ed Clements/KLBJ-AM; sponsored
by covert Cadillac- lots of specials!
Shuttle bus to every UT home game and back to the El Dorado; $25
includes dinner and the ride on the Bevo Bus
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Hill's Cafe Introduces Killer Chicken Fried Steak
Bob Cole and his gang out at Hill's Cafe
have rolled out a new version of chicken fried steak to complement
the Goodnight standard (you know the grilled one with the yellow
gravy that they've had for years). I tried this new version the
other night and it was absolutely delicious. It's is more like the
typical chicken fried steaks one finds around central Texas. It's
fried, beautifully breaded, and has a wonderful, white gravy. I
loved it.
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Check Out Nueva Onda off S. Congress on College Ave. (near Oltorf)
Funky and very tasty little Mexican Eat-in
and Take-out spot Had Huevos Rancheros there the other day and they
were quite good. Excellent ranchero sauce and very mild, subtle
frijoles along with home fries. Another appealing choice is the
Rice or Vermicelli bowls. This is like Mexico meets Vietnam. Strange,
but good. The Calabacitas (zucchini, squash, corn, tomatoes,onions,
and cilantro) on top of either the rice or vermicelli is a keeper.
They even have Chicken menudo (along, of course, with the original)
for the squeamish. 447-5063 for more information.
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1886 Bakery Opens at the Driskill Hotel
The 1886 Bakery at the Driskill Hotel is
open for business. Had lunch there recently.I tried the Vegetable
Corn Bisque which had a lovely flavor. We also had tuna and shaved
ham on brie sandwiches (the ham was on a croissant) which were excellent.
They are open for breakfast and dinner as well (serving pizzas,
sandwiches, pastas, and lighter fare) and offer a variety of baked
goods: pastries, cookies, tarts, pies, cakes, muffins. Hours run
Sunday-Thursday thru Midnight and to 2AM on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Bakery is designed to take some pressure off the acclaimed Driskill
Grill which will now only be opened Tuesday thru Saturday for dinner.
474-5911 for more information.
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Don't Blame the French: Foie Gras is Timeless
I was at a benefit dinner at Roy's Austin
not long ago with a reporter from the Statesman. When the Foie Gras
appeared at our table, she squirmed and made a face: "No way
am I going to eat that," she said. I did not argue or try to
convince her otherwise. I simply and delightedly ate her serving
along with mine.
There are those of you who will never, ever avail yourselves of
the opportunity to taste one of man's great culinary creations and
that's a shame. Foie gras, in its final form, is the enlarged liver
of a duck or goose. It can be prepared in many different styles,
the current trend leaning toward seared or baked. I prefer a cold
pate of Foie Gras personally.
The average duck liver weighs about four ounces, but after a duck
has been put through a feeding regimen that would have debilitated
Henry VIII, livers can weigh up to two pounds. In fact, after being
force fed corn mush for 21 days, the duck's liver becomes so big
that the animal becomes paralyzed. OK, so it seems barbaric. At
least the duck or goose had a short, happy life.
But the French do not have the franchise on the mania for Foie Gras.
According to an article I read by Maura Egan in Details, the Romans
were stuffing their geese with figs 2,000 years ago. Emperor Nero
was reportedly obsessed with Foie Gras. So he was obviously doing
more than fiddling.
Quality foie gras is available in many Austin restaurants including
Emilia's, Cafe at the Four Seasons, Jeffrey's, Collin B's, Aquarelle,
Jean Luc's, Chez Nous and many more.
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Also from the Rumor Mill: Bone Daddy's is NOT for sale
Here's the straight scoop on Bone Daddy's,
the BBQ spot on Research. Contrary to reports, all that's for sale
is the building itself, not the concept or the business.
The owner, Mike Leatherwood would like to get out of lease structure
he's currently operating under. But he has firm plans to continue
to operate the restaurant.
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The Tea House Opens on 13376 Research. Features Chinese/Vietnamese
cuisine
The Tea House has opened in the same shopping
center on Research that houses Ray's Steakhouse at 13376 Research.
(Near Anderson Mill.) We had a preview dinner there Saturday night
and the food was quite good. We particularly enjoyed the Spring
Rolls with shrimp, the Verimellci Bowl, The Pho Shrimp soup, The
MIracle Shrimp (which featured a delicate mayonnaise sauce with
roasted walnuts--very unusual and quite compelling) and the Steamed
Sea Bass. Call 335-0935 for more information.
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Lest there be any confusion, Cafe Spiazzo is OPEN!
One of my favorite little Italian eateries,
Cafe Spiazzo had some plumbing difficulties which required them
to close down for 9 days, from July 2-thru July 11th. So if you
happened to drive by during that time and saw them closed, don't
fret. They're back, better than ever. They are at 5416 Parkcrest
off 2222 near Mopac. Go check 'em out.
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What's New at El Dorado!
Here's some information
on a few specials that El Dorado is currently running:
The El Dorado Bar and Grill's Famous Sunday
Brunch is served from 11am-2:30pm.
Live Music on the deck Sundays begins at 6 pm.
Bar Specials: 1 Dozen oysters for $3.00 AND 20% off entrees at the
bar.
Coming Soon: Labor Day party with live music.
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JC's restauarant at 5804 N. IH 35 celebrates 1st year anniversary
with big bash on Wednesday
One of our favorite restaurants, JC's, celebrates
its first anniversary on Wednesday, August 7th. Starting at 5PM,
owner Jerrel Choate promises that the libations will be flowing,
the bartenders will be pouring, the Gumbo (best in town, in our
opinion) will be simmering, and all their other great grub will
likewise be available.
Rob will be there, rest assured. Look him up and say howdy!
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Noodle-ism Opens on 107 W. 5th St.
From the innovative owners of fusion styled
Bistro 88 on Bee Caves Road in Rollingwood comes Noodle-ism. The
menu is laden with, surprise, noodles. But other items like Kobe
Style Hamburgers, fried rice, and potstickers are also available.
Tried the Udon Soup which was a treat. Great seafood broth with
shrimp, crab, and scallops and of course, those wonderfully full
and round udon noodles.
The potstickers were also cooked perfectly and very tasty. As was
the Seafood Bisque.
Another interesting twist: you can order spaghetti and meatballs
as well as linguine with clam sauce. Truly something for everyone
at Noodle-ism.
Nothing over $9.95 on the entire menu.
275-9988 for more information or head to www.noodle-ism.com
Look for a full review soon.
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Chef Ped Saga Continues
Many of you have written asking about the
whereabouts of the late, lamented Chef Ped of Lemongrass. Ped allegedly
left town owing thousands of dollars to various food purveyors and
vendors. Might explain why the 6th St. Lemongrass restaurarant closed
so suddenly. Rumors are flying hot and heavy over excatly where
Ped landed, but consider it a safe bet that he has more than a few
PO'd food folks on his trail. Too bad.
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The Most Honorable Ten: Restaurants Bubbling Just Under the Top
20!
Selecting the new Top
20 was a pleasantly agonizing task. We are fortunate, as a city
of our size, to have so many good ones. And indeed we do! But as
hard as it was picking the Top 20, it was
harder still keeping a number of restaurants OUT. And so here they
are: those that just missed by the hairs on their chinny, chin chins.
In alphabetical order:
Cool River Steakhouse
(Killer steaks off Parmer Lane)
Curras Grill (Two
locations for Interior Mexican cooked by the owner's mother)
Gumbo's (Cajun delights
at 8th and Colorado)
Hill Country Dining Room at
Barton Creek Resort (Lovely Haute-American cuisine in spectacular
setting in the hills of Westlake--and better still, open to the
public)
Mushashino (Wonderfully fresh and compelling Sushi on N.
Mopac beneath Chinatown)
The Paggi House (Thomas
Flesiner's 20-year love affair with Austin still going strong on
Riverside at S. Lamar)
Roy's Austin (Iron Chef
Roy Yamaguchi's fusion masterpiece)
T&S Seafood (San Francisco
style Chinese Sea Food and massively popular weekend Dim Sum)
Vespaio (Bold and
innovative Italian creations on S. Congress)
Wild Horse Grill
(New American cuisine worth taking a trip to Marble Falls for)
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Birthday Dinner a Treat at Ray's Steakhouse
My darling daughter Jennifer had her 23rd
birthday last weekend and what a better place to celebrate than
Ray's Steakhouse on Guadalupe. The place just exudes a richness
and panache that underscores the fabulous food. Of course, I was
dying for the Chicken Fried Chicken. Mountainous in size and scope,
and ethereal in taste, it was a real treat. The gravy is divine.
For appetizers, we had Little Ray's sliders (petit cheeseburgers)
and crab cakes. Jennifer, the birthday girl had a Filet and Lauren,
my youngest daughter, fell in love with the crab cakes and just
kept ordering more as the evening went on. Of course, Ray's doesn't
price you to death with "sides." Each entree comes with
two sides and the scalloped potatoes are worth the price of admission.
And don't forget Ray's Green Chile Corn Chowder. Great stuff. Ray's
has locations on Guadalupe at 30th and on 183.
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Lemongrass in Lakeway to become Thai Spice
With the sudden departure of Chef Ped, new
owners of the Lemongrass in Lakeway, VIcky and Tut Vicha have decided
to rename the restaurant Thai Spice (to go along with their two
other Thai Spice) restaurants. Smart move. Lemongrass undid a lot
of good will and accumulated a lot of bad will in a very short period
of time. Rebranding the Lakeway store at Thai Spice just makes good
business sense.
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Have Lunch at Benihana and Aid Central Texas Flood Victims
Brad Meltzer, owner of Benihana restaurant
at 183 and Burnet, is going to donate 25% of all proceeds from lunch
sales for the two week period from July 18th thru the first of August
to victims of the recent flooding in central Texas. Aside from the
fact that Benihana serves up some very tasty fare (including top
flight Sushi), these people need help. I'll be there. Hope to see
you as well.
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Ms. B's plans Wine Dinner for July 24th
One of our favorite Creole spots, the delightful
Ms.B's, is having a wine dinner on July 24th. Things begin at 6:30
PM with Salmon Stuffed Mushroom Caps paired with a Cap Rock Blac
D'Noir Sparkling Wine. At 7PM, a Shrimp Mango Bisque is served with
a Cap Rock Chardonnay followed by a Pork Loin with Apples, CIder,
and Calvados paired with Cap Rock Toscano Rosso.
Finally, the sweet coursea encludes a Meringue Cake layered with
chocolate ganache and Buttercream along with a nice Orange Muscat.
If you've never been to one of thse at Ms.B's, you owe yourself
this treat. Call 372-9529 for reservations. And hurry, because it's
a small restaurant!
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Vicky and Tut Vicha Purchase Lemongrass in Lakeway
Chef Ped's Lemongrass location in Lakeway,
which had briefly changed ownership after Chef Ped's rather abrupt
departure from Austin, has been purchased by Vicky and Tut Vicha,
owners of the popular Thai Spice restaurants in Austin and the recently
opened Oishi Sushi House. I'm very glad for fans of Lemongrass that
this has occurred. Vicky and Tut are good restaurant people and
give a lot back to the community. Couldn't even get the owner after
Ped to give me his last name. He said: "Just call me Joe."
Vicky and Tut plan to keep the same style of Thai cuisine that Ped
introduced several years ago. No word yet on whether they might
take a shot at the 6th St. location that Ped simply abandoned last
month. But I'm delighted by this change of ownership.
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Demi Epicurious Could be One of the Great Ones
Had my first dinner at Demi Epicurious the
other night and they blew me away. Don Rhode and Chef Robert Barker
have done something amazing here. From the salad courses, to the
lobster shooter (hot buttered rock lobster and toasted corn in a
warm carrot bisque), to the skewered shrimp and Artic Char with
Riesling Braised Fennel and the amazing Pink Muscovy Duck Breast,
these smaller-sized entrees are designed to be shared with your
party. Look for my formal review coming soon. In the meantime, 478-2200
for reservations.
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Dragon Gate opens on Bee Caves Road
At the site of the former Cafe Spiazzo on
3633 Bee Caves Road in Westlake, Dragon Gate restaurant has opened.
The fare is predominantly Chinese but they've added a Sushi Bar
and one Teppan grilling station (similar to Benihana). This is by
the same group (Phoenix) that does the reliably good China Cafes
around Austin. For more information, call 328-6776. Hours are 11AM
to 10PM Monday thru Saturday and 11AM to 9PM on Sunday.
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Tableside Cooking Flourishes at Carmelos
Many of you write in asking about restaurants
where dishes are prepared tableside. In truth, there are very few,
one bright exception being Carmelo's on 5th St. in Downtown Austin.
I had a Penne Carbonara there recently that was excellent. Prepared,
as we watched, the diner somehow becomes more personally involved
with the dish. It's a neat idea and you should check it out. Call
477-7407 for more information.
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First Taste of Manny Hattans is a Good One
I descended on recently opened Manny Hattans
at 9503 Research the other night with my daughter Jen. We avoided
the Grand Opening so we could get a little more face time with the
owner, Aaron Mayers.
I liked this guy right away. With his father Roy, they work the
house with aplomb and genuine enthusiasm. And yours truly was also
enthusiastic....about the food!
Things I really liked: the stuffed cabbage (done Hungarian style),
the stuffed derma (a vegetarian dish that is melt in your mouth
good), the meat Knish (cornbeef and pastrami blended with potatoes
en crout), the hot dogs and knockwurst, and a scrumptious Pastrami
Reuben. Oh and don't forget about the chopped liver, the whitefish,
the locks and the bagels.
Wasn't crazy about the cheese blintzes: not sweet enough or smooth
enough for my taste... but then we finished with a piece of Cheese
Cake that was ethereal... from the Carnegie Deli in New York CIty.
Call 794-0088 for more information. Look for a formal review soon.
But at first bite, very promising.
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New Opening: NY Deli Manny Hattans at the Gateway Plaza
Stopped by new Deli restaurant Manny Hattans
over the weekend. Looks very promising. You can always tell a Deli
restaurant's ambition and quality by the flavor of their dill pickles.
And I loved the dills at Manny's. They also served marinated red
pepper slices in the pickle bowl for a nice touch.
The bill of fare appears to be very traditional NY deli. No dumbing
down to appeal to perceived central Texas tastes. They've got latkes
(potato pancakes), meat knishes (pastrami and corned beef blended
with mashed potatoes in a pastry puff) and, of course, Kreplach
soup.
They are not trying to mimic the 24/7 mentality of long-time Deli
market ruler, Katz's on 6th St, but they are open to midnight on
the weekends. Call 794-0088 for more info.
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Breakfast Tacos now being served at Rudy's BBQ
For those of you not aware of it, one of
my favorite BBQ joints, Rudy's, is serving up some seriously good
breakfast tacos each morning. The sausage, egg, and cheese is my
favorite and they are reasonably priced. Three item taco: $1.70.
Available each morning at 6:30 AM and a little later on Sundays.
Call 418-9898 for more information.
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Katz vs. Katz is Settled
The ongoing, very passionate, very public
feud between Katz's Deli founder Marc Katz and son Barry has apparently
reached a settlement. The elder Katz will retain sole ownership
of the restaurant he founded on 6th St. 25 years ago while Barry
Katz will take over sole ownership of the Houston location of Katz's.
There had been discussion about a forced sale of the Austin restaurant
to a third party. Glad that didn't occur. I couldn't very well see
some corporate spokesperson for a chain such at Outback yelling
"I gotta tell ya, Katz's never closes!!!"
The simmering feud between father and son exploded onto the front
page of the Statesman earlier this year and was even noted in industry
bible, The Nation's Restaurant News. I wish both of them the best
and sorry their family argument had to take on such a public face.
Truth of the matter though, the huge wave of media coverage generated
by the dispute probably didn't hurt one bit. The Statesman ran several
major pieces (including one on the Front Page) and other periodicals
picked up on it as well (including yours truly). On second thought....maybe
there never was a feud and all of this eminated from the PR master
himself, Marc Katz????? Naw...no way.
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Dining with your Dog in Dallas (you gotta read this)
Just when you thought you'd heard it all,
now there's a restaurant in Dallas where you're encouraged to bring
your dogs. They'll even set a little table for poochie adjacent
to yours so you can dine with man's best friend. Of course there's
a full menu for our furry friends.
Can you believe this. What happens when Lassie has to go potty?
Or worse, suppose Lassie is in heat and Rover wanders too close
to her table? The negative possibilities are endless.
Ah, if only Austin could show this kind of class and sophistication.
I knew there was a reason I lived in the River City.
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El Dorado Opens on Lake Austin
El Dorado has opened at the former home
of the Dam View, and from what I can tell from my first visit, the
food's a damn site better. I had a really nice Soft Shell Crab,
a terrific Ceviche, seriously good Red Beans and Rice, some tasty
Cabrito [not many places you can get that around here] and other
assorted fare. It is definitely NOT Tex Mex, so don't let the name
fool you. American and Mexican dishes, but each to its own, so to
speak.
I'll post a formal review within the next month, but based on what
I've tried so far, this one is going to be good.
Click on this link for more
information on their 4th of July blast.
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Meet New Executive Chef at Emilia's, Chris Lanier
Executive Chef
Chris Lanier recently debuted his new menu at Emilia's. His specialty
entrees include Roasted Monkfish with preserved tomato and white
truffle emulsion, Grilled Ribeye with Oxtail Crepinette accompanied
by spring greens and bordelaise sauce, Spring Vegetable Fricassee
with morels, fresh pasta and tuscan olive oil and a Grilled Young
Chicken with Morels and sweet pea stew with shaved artichokes.
| All of these dishes display
Chef Lanier's distinctive approach to contemporary American
cuisine. "Fresh ingredients are the key to my preparations
along with the right herbs and sauces to enhance each dish.
It is what our patrons expect when they come to Emilia's,"
says Lanier. Also under Chef Lanier's direction, is a new dessert
menu, designed by Pastry Chef Elise Fineberg. Dessert offerings
include a Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with roasted strawberries
accompanied by chocolate shortbread and a Poached Pear Napoleon
with lemon verbena cream and blueberry compote. |
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Lanier was promoted from sous chef to the
top post as Executive Chef in March 2002. He comes to Emilia's with
a wealth of experience in all aspects of managing a kitchen and
with various styles of cuisine that have shaped his own menu. Lanier's
passion for cooking began at a young age. At 17, he attended culinary
school at Le Chef, now known as the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin,
Texas. Locally Lanier was the Pastry Chef for local Austin favorites
such as Tocai and Brio. Lanier developed much of his kitchen acumen
as a roundsman and sous chef to Executive Chef Keith Luce at Spruce
in Chicago and at Little Nell in Aspen, Colorado. Under Luce's directive,
Lanier gained the fundamentals of French and Italian cuisine, as
well as a strong discipline for attention to detail and by perfecting
every technique.
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Elise Fineberg was also hired
in March 2002 as Emilia's new Pastry Chef. Fineberg brings with
her an extensive and well-rounded training from some of San
Francisco's most renowned restaurants and bakeries including
Jardinière, Stars Restaurant and Citizen Cake. She is
a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. |
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Chef Ped Hits the Road: Shocks Fans of Lemongrass (6th St. Location
Closes)
In the ongoing saga of quality restaurants
closing or changing hands in Austin, Chef Ped of Lemongrass has
closed the W. 6th St. location [formerly Tocai] and sold the Lakeway
location on Hwy 620. And just like that, poof, Ped has departed
the scene. He had a long history of cooking in the Austin area and
worked with such luminaries as Dr. Foo Swasdee of Satay fame and
Vicky and Tut Vicha of Thai Spice and Oishi Sushi House.
I liked his innovative style of cooking and had many favorite dishes
at the downtown restaurant that I frequented.
Ped, and his passion for excellence, will be missed.
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In the "You Won't Believe This" Category: Rob Dines at
the Oasis and Likes It!
As you know, I have been on record as being
exceptionally critical of the culinary efforts of The Oasis, arguably
Austin's best spot to catch a sunset and a breathtaking view of
Lake Travis. My advice had always been: have a marguerita and a
basket of chips and salsa, watch the sun set, then go dine elsewhere.
Well, stop the presses. Hold your horses. Hold something. Because
I ate dinner at The Oasis on June 6th, and while it may not have
been The Four Seasons, it was not bad at all!!!!! The queso was
good, my daughter's cheeseburger and fries was good, the salad with
strips of mustard/taragon chicken was excellent, the BBQ shrimp
was quite good, and their designer ice creams were sensational.
I know. I know. The Oasis? How can this be? Well, I guess they finally
got serious about things, built a kitchen that could handle the
crowd they get, worked on quality control and voila! You could have
knocked me over with a plastic salad fork.
I take my hat off to 'em. I'm going out again soon, and if all stays
well, I'll post a formal review. Can you imagine that? Did you ever
think you'd see a Rob Balon review of The Oasis?
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Latest High End Rumor: The Demise of Si Bon?
Rumors are flying about Si Bon, another
one of our favorites near Barton Springs on S. Lamar. Heard that
Peter O' Brien, the restaurants brilliant chef, had not renewed
the Beverage License. That's always a bad sign. This is NOT confimred,
however. Peter traditionally closes down for a month in the summer,
and goes to Maine. Let's hope that's all it is. I couldn't another
of my favorites crashing and burning.
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Girasole: Sluggish Economy Forces One of our Top 15 Restaurants
to Abandon Upscale Italian Fare
Within a few weeks, one of my favorite restaurants,
Girasole, at 4th and Lavaca, will transition to a Southwestern theme
and will change names to Coyote Grill. Propieter Al Zare said it
simply and sadly enough: "you can't make a living with four
tables on a Tuesday night."
Much like the change that was necessitated at upscale 22 last year
(when it became the cajun-styled Alligator Grill), Zare is moving
the restaurant toward a cuisine that is popular in Austin and that
also can be done with much lower price points. New prices will range
from $7.95 to $18.95. Chef Daniel Nemec, who has considerable experience
with Southwest cuisine, will remain in that capacity (that's a great
move on Zare's part because Nemec can flat out cook).
While the demise of Girasole (and its 1,000 plus bottle wine list-arguably
the city's best) is a major, major dissapointment to me, I take
my hat off to Zare for having the business acumen to make the move.
Coyote Grill will have his imprinature all over it, and I look forward
to trying it.
For those Girasole fans who want to have one, last great meal, the
restaurant will stay open for another week or so, close for a few
days, and then reopen as Coyote Grill.
The Grill's menu will feature southwestern favorites ranging from
Blue Corn Chicken Enchiladas to Chipotle Maple Glazed Seared Pork
Chops. Coyote will also have a "taco stand" along with
a variety of quesadillas, soups and salads and a Mexican cheese
fondue or "Queso Fundido".
One final note: drove past The Olive Garden the other night. It
was packed. Standing in line to get in. And the Olive Garden is
not that cheap. So what's the deal? Great restaurants like Girasole
and good restaurants like Mezzaluna Gateway bite the dust, and the
Olive Garden keeps rolling along (literally because the chairs have
wheels). Has the Austin dining public made a conscious decision
to seek out lower price points, or is the culinary sophistication
of Austinites overrated? We'd be interested in your
thoughts on this.
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The Main Street Grill's Salad Dressings to be Available in Stores
For those fans of the salad dressings at
Round Rock's Main St. Grill, there's good news. The dressings are
going to be available at Central Markets, Fresh Plus on West Lyn,
Sun Harvest off Anderson, and Grapevine Market. There are four of
them, my favorite being the Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette and they
are wonderful. I mean, a real treat. They were invented by owner
Jim McKinney's wife and the Chef de Cuisine Jim McNeilll at the
restaurant. Look for these dressings in the stores.
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Craving Greek food after the demise of Ted's Steak House? Check
out the Austin Gourmet Market on E. Oltorf.
Many of you have written in bemoaning the
lack of Greek food locally. Well, it's not long on atmosphere, but
if you're craving a pretty good Gyro, Tabouli Salad, Moussaka, or
some Baklava, try the Austin Gourmet Market on E. Oltorf (in a little
strip mall on E. Oltorf just east of I-35). It's run by a very engaging
Palestinian gentleman who really should contemplate changing the
name to the Austin Mediterranean Market or something like that.
Check it out.
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All You Can Eat Shrimp and Catfish Special at Alligator Grill
Are you hungry? Well you better be if you
want to take advantage of The Alligator Grill's new "All You
Can Eat" Shrimp & Catfish Special. Just $13.95 adults,
$6.95 kids will get you all this: cornbread, gumbo, fried shrimp
(the size of their peel and eat shrimp not those puny popcorn shrimp),
fried catfish, green beans, mashed potatoes, french fries, and red
beans & rice. Unlimited refills! With this deal it's all for
one and one for all, everybody at the table has to order it and
sorry no doggy bags! It's available all day everyday and they do
accept reservations. North 346.4411 or South 444.6117 See you later
Alligator.
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Coming Reviews
In the next several
months, here are some of the restaurants we'll be reviewing on www.diningoutwithrobbalon.com.
Hill Country Dining Room at Barton Creek Country
Club, Café Josie, The Iron Cactus, Y Bar & Grille, Ranch
616, Alpenhoff Steak Haus, Fonda San Miguel, Lemongrass, Satay,
Main St. Grill in Round Rock, The Wahlberg Mercantile and The Oasis.
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Continuing with My list
of Favorites
We started my list of favorite dishes in
the last installment of Food and Wine News. Here
are some other favorites: (Readers are welcomed to drop us an email
and tell us their favorites as well.)
Foie Blond Pate - Jean Luc's Bistro
The Duck Burritos - The Driskill Grill
Broiled Black Cod - Kenichi
Shrimp Enchiladas - El Sol y La Luna
Texas filet - Wilson's Hill Country Cuisine
Danish Veal Chop - Collin B's
Sauteed Maine Lobster - Aquarelle
Cheeseburger - Slick Rock Golf Shop at Horseshoe Bay
Calamari - Asti
Vegetarian Pizza - Brick Oven
Black Pepper Linguine - Café Spiazzo
Pho Tom [shrimp soup] - Cong Ly
Beef Ribs - County Line BBQ
Smoked Salmon Ravioli - East Side Café
Dublin Lawyer Special - Emerald Restaurant
Martian Landscape - Magnolia Café
Smothered Pork Chops - Ms. B's
Shrimp Salad Plate - Sea Island
Kobe Beef - Bistro 88
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